12 Days of SHIELD
by CelestialHeavens1
Summary: The team celebrates Christmas on the Bus. From the 12 Days of Christmas prompt by ashes and cinders, set in the Locketverse where Skye is Coulson's daughter. You do not have to read the Locket to understand. SkyeWard, FitzSimmons
1. Mistletoe

Set in the Locketverse. You do not have to read that first.

* * *

Day 1: Mistletoe

"You've got to be kidding me!"

The common area of the Bus looked a little like Christmas had thrown up on it.

"You see it too?" Skye asked, walking up next to him.

"Yeah, I see it. It's-"

"Terrifying?"

"A bit."

They watched FitzSimmons running around where the tree barely fit, tossing tinsel on it like they were circling a May pole. Suddenly, the two scientists stopped, staring at the specialist and the hacker.

"What are they looking at?" she whispered, looking at them like they were likely to come charging at her.

"I don't know."

Slowly, as if they practiced it, they raised their eyes up to the ceiling above Ward and Skye's head. "Oh hell no!" Skye cried as she saw the mistletoe, "You're not tricking us into this! Christmas is a big corporate holiday, used to strong-arm people into buy the most expensive, but cheaply made gift for their loved one or else! I'm not falling prey for the economical screwballs on Wall Street and other places!"

With that, she stormed off. Ward looked at them and FitzSimmons started back, expectantly. He shrugged.

"I don't do Christmas."

With that, he followed after his girlfriend downstairs. He found her sitting on the bench in front of the punching bag. "Christmas was always hard for me 'cause none of the foster parents wanted extra kids around the holidays, so I'd always wind up back at St. Agnes for Christmas. And there seemed like there was never enough money to get presents or do a lot of special things. Sometimes, people from the church would donate a nice dinner or some toys, but there was never enough for everyone."

He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into him. She let her arms circle his waist, leaning her head against his shoulder. "They weren't easy for us either. If we got anything that was better than my older brother…"

He didn't need to finish the sentence. She knew what happened or at least had some idea.

"I didn't expect FitzSimmons to be decorating and I saw it and-"

"It was like you were a kid again and you were afraid we were going to send you back?" She nodded her head, feeling rather silly about that. "Well, I don't think this was your best place to escape. FitzSimmons already decorated down here." She glanced up. "Can I kiss you or will I get another anti-corporation spiel?"

In response, she closed her eyes and let him kiss her.

"See, Fitz," Simmons said from the safety of the living room, "mistletoe always works."

Not so subtly, Fitz raised his arm over them, holding on spare piece of mistletoe above her head. "Oh, what do we have here? It's mistletoe and it's over your head." He leaned forward and Simmons rolled her eyes, meeting him halfway.


	2. Jingle Bell Rock

Day 2: Jingle Bell Rock

Skye glared at the radio playing overly cheery music.

_Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock _

_Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring _

_Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun _

_Now the jingle hop has begun!_

Now, she wasn't the Grinch. Christmas just held bad memories for her and once she joined the Rising Tide, a boat load of conspiracies. She wasn't some Satanic worshiping whatever— after all, she had grown up in a church— but the Christmas season made her miserable and the Christmas music-playing radio was being considered for target practice for her weapons training. FitzSimmons had rigged it not to shut off or change stations and it was really getting on her nerves.

"Still moping, Rookie?" a voice came from behind her, kissing her cheek.

"I hate Christmas."

"I know. It'll only be a few more weeks."

_Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock _

_Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time _

_Dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square _

_In the frosty air. _

Grant groaned. "I hate this song."

"Tell me about it," Skye mumbled under her breath, "You wouldn't mind teaching me how to use a gun now and the target is that radio, would you?"

"It wouldn't help. FitzSimmons would just replace it. Last year, they were in the dorms at the Hub and I heard it was decorated a month before Christmas and they blasted music over the intercoms." She gave him an incredulous look.

"Really? This isn't another hazing story, is it?"

Grant eyed his girlfriend. "I wish. It seems that they're intent to repeat last year here."

Skye pulled a face and he kissed her again, letting her relax into the kiss. "You know, no matter how much you kiss me, you're not going to convince me that FitzSimmons aren't being intentionally evil or aren't possessed by the ghosts of Christmas pep."

He chuckled, leaning in to kiss her again when suddenly, the radio's volume doubled.

_What a bright time, it's the right time _

_To rock the night away _

_Jingle bell time is a swell time _

_To go gliding in a one-horse sleigh _

_Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet _

_Jingle around the clock _

_Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet _

_That's the jingle bell, _

_That's the jingle bell, _

_That's the jingle bell rock._

"That's it. We're checking one of our bunks for bugs and cameras and then were going to lock ourselves in there-"

Skye gave her boyfriend a meaningful look over. "Sounds like fun."

"-to plan how to get rid of FitzSimmons' Christmas."

She shrugged. "Still sounds fun." She grinned widely. "Let's get to it."

* * *

R&R


	3. Deck the Halls

Grant and Skye retaliate against FitzSimmons' Christmas.

* * *

Day 3: Deck the Halls

It was the middle of the night, long before FitzSimmons had gotten up, when Ward woke her.

"Whatssit?" she muttered tiredly at him.

"We're going to decorate the lab. Come on." She rubbed her eyes, sitting up. _Had he even gone to sleep? _she wondered, _he looked completely awake and aware._

She climbed from the bed, pulling a shirt on over her tank top and slippers on. Grant had a large bag over one shoulder and she silently questioned what was in it. He smirked at her, his eyes sparkly with a rare burst of mischief. That woke her up better than a cup of coffee and she took off after him. It was such an odd sight that she couldn't wait to see what he was planning.

Ward set the bag on the floor outside of the lab and pulled out little packages.

"What is that?"

"They have a motion sensor and they're release a small charge which with cover FitzSimmons with glitter." At her odd lock, he simplified, "Motion activated confetti bombs."

"Fun."

He pried the doors open quietly, trying not to get caught by the two scientists when the music started blaring.

_Deck the halls with boughs of holly, _

_Fa la la la la, la la la la. _  
_Tis the season to be jolly, _  
_Fa la la la la, la la la la. _

"Intruder alarms with Christmas music?" Skye shouted about the noise.

_Don we now our gay apparel, _  
_Fa la la, la la la, la la la. _  
_Troll the ancient Yule tide carol, _  
_Fa la la la la, la la la la. _

"Ah ha! We caught you!" Fitz yelled from the stairs.

Skye glared at them. "Not cool, guys."

"We knew you'd try to retaliate. We had to do something," Simmons spoke as she walked down.

"I might have expected this from him," the brunette said with her arms crossed, "But you too, Jemma?"

Jemma shrugged. "This is the price of war at Christmas time."

_See the blazing Yule before us, _  
_Fa la la la la, la la la la. _  
_Strike the harp and join the chorus. _  
_Fa la la la la, la la la la. _

"Can you kill the alarm at least?"

FitzSimmons shared a sheepish look.

"Well, you see, we didn't install an off switch."

"It'll just keep replaying the song."

Ward glared angrily at that, mad his prank had been spoiled by the scientists. He stalked off into the lab.

_Follow me in merry measure, _  
_Fa la la la la, la la la la. _  
_While I tell of Yule tide treasure, _  
_Fa la la la la, la la la l- _

The music cut out suddenly, replaced by FitzSimmons, "Hey!"

"Found the off switch," he growled, holding up the end of the extenuation cord before he grabbed his bag and started up the stairs. Skye followed after him, calling back down to the two scientists below.

"This means war, FitzSimmons! War I tell you!" To Grant she whispered, "We are so getting May and Dad involved."

"Agreed."

* * *

R&R


	4. Present

A short break from the holiday mischief... sort of. Skye and Ward are retreating briefly so that they have time to plan out something better for FitzSimmons and seek aid from the wise Coulson and prank-master May.

On a more serious note, a friend of my family passed away over the weekend and I only just found out today. I know her family is all going through a really rough time, especially her two young children. Please keep her family in your prayers.

* * *

Day 4: Present

"So you're saying that two _scientists_ with no tactical experience caught you two?" May asked, almost amused.

"That's exactly what I'm saying! FitzSimmons are crazy! They're completely out of control!" Skye ranted as she paced the office. "They have to be stopped!"

Wisely, Coulson and Ward stayed quiet. May shook her head disapprovingly. "You have no experience pranking someone."

"I have plenty experience pranking someone. Robot over there's the one that ruined it! I would have just had them be confetti bombs that we left in there on a timer or something."

"That's not a bad idea," Ward admitted.

The two women looked at him. "Then why did you not do that?" Coulson asked, as if finding this whole situation humorous. Ward ducked his head, muttering something about tactics and specialization and scientists under his breath before he looked up at the man. Skye sat down next to him on the arm rest of Grant's chair, giving her father her best 'Please, you left me alone for twenty-four years, you own me now' look. "I'll help. May?" The normally stoic pilot smiled and nodded. "Good. We'll meet back here later to plan."

"We're landing in an hour," May spoke, before she slipped out of the office silently.

Coulson eyed his daughter half hanging on her boyfriend. She smirked at him, got up, and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Dad."

She skipped from the room before he could say anything else. Ward looked after her, then followed. Coulson sighed loudly.

* * *

The plane touched down at the airport. There were two very important goals while on the ground, present shopping and prank shopping. May and Coulson were in charge of getting the supplies for the prank, Skye was taking Jemma shopping, and Ward was taking Fitz shopping. So while the girls got acquainted with the mall, Ward was looking for something for Skye, something that she wouldn't get upset about in a rant about corporations brain washing everyone to feel like they must buy to be apart of society.

"You could get her a necklace," Fitz suggested, eying a pendent in the jewelry store window.

"She wears her lockets all the time."

"Earrings?"

"Skye's not really a jewelry person."

"A hard drive?"

"Do you get Simmons a chemistry set for Christmas?"

Fitz shrugged. "That was only twice." At Ward's raised brow he added, "She needed more beakers. The experiment she was conducting sort of made the first set shatter."

He said it so matter of fact-ly that Ward could not argue. Suddenly, he had an idea for the perfect present for Skye.

* * *

Simmons twirled in front of the dressing room mirror while Skye sat bored. She wore a long mauve dress with a decorated neck and waist line. "What do you think?"

"It's a dress."

"A very pretty dress. Come on, you can't tell me that you don't want to wear something pretty for the New Years Party at the Hub. You know we're landing there for New Year's Eve."

"I know," Skye said, letting her head fall against the wall.

"Then why aren't you trying on anything? You know it's fancy dress." At the hacker's questioning lock, she added, "You know black tie, dresses, suits and ties-"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that all the guys wear are suits and ties, every day?"

"Well, no, not exactly." Jemma frowned. "Please, Skye, please!"

"Fine," she stood, exasperated, "I will find a dress and try it on if it will get you to shut up about the stupid party that's like two weeks away."

The scientist clapped excitedly, "Oh! This will be fun!"

Skye stalked off to the dress section. After what seemed like a lifetime of glaring at gowns, one jumped out at her. It was red, which was an unusual choice for her, but it was like it was calling at her, yelling really, "Try me on, Skye, try me on." Of course, that was totally ridiculous because clothing didn't talk. Clothing never talked. She frowned, there was only one gown and what would the chances be that it would be her size? She checked the label, her frown setting in deeper. Pretty good apparently. She didn't believe in fate or things that weren't trying to screw you over, especially when it was just sitting there on the rack like it was waiting for her. Still, it was a beautiful gown. She grabbed it and headed back to the dressing room.

"Not a word," she warned the scientist as she walked by. Jemma beamed.

* * *

"So why exactly did your daughter and Ward get into prank war with FitzSimmons?" May asked as she went through the tape selection at the hardware store. Bombs made people stupid. She prefer winning pranks with duck tape and shaving cream.

"They hate Christmas, apparently," Coulson spoke with a wisp of regret in his words. "FitzSimmons went overboard with it and now Skye and Grant are taking revenge."

May frowned at this. She couldn't imagine hating Christmas and she didn't like much. "Why do they hate Christmas?"

"Bad holiday experiences." He seemed so upset, like it was his personal fault that Skye had bad holiday experiences.

"You couldn't have known to change things."

"But I should have known. The signs were obvious! Rina dropped off the grid a year before she died. She'd been acting strange for months before that. Her autopsy said that she had a baby recently. Skye was left at that orphanage when she was six months old. I should have known, Melinda. My daughter's never had a good Christmas and up until she stepped on this plane, I had no idea she existed. What kind of father am I?"

"You're scared," May shrugged, "You'll learn. Besides, she got what she wanted so badly." At Coulson's look, she clarified, "Family. She's got a family. That's something she probably hasn't had any of the other years."

* * *

Skye stared at the mirror. She could almost imagine Grant spinning her on a dance floor. He'd be wearing the same suit he always seemed to wear and the clock would strike midnight and he'd kiss her just as the fireworks went-

There was a sharp banging on the door of the changing room. "Let me see!"

Sighing, Skye unlocked the door, allowing Jemma to tumble in. Her mouth dropped.

"It's not bad, is it? Red's not usually my color."

"You look amazing. We need shoes and you'll look even more amazing."

The hacker laughed, finally in a bit of a better mood. "Don't take too long. We've got to get something for the boys."

"Presents?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of suits that don't make them look like extras from _Men in Black_."

Simmons pursed her lips. "Ties?"

Skye's eyes glazed over for a moment, thinking of the multicolor ties. She wondered for a brief moment if the bed in the apartment Grant had mentioned in passing has a headboard or posts…

"Skye? You still with me? Do you think we should get the boys ties to match our dresses?"

The hacker barked out a laugh. "Can you really see the T-1000 wearing a red tie?"

Jemma giggled at the thought.

* * *

Remove the spaces from the links. I replaced the links and they should work now.

Jemma's dress  
www. modcloth. com shop/ dresses/ the-princess-and-the-beads-dress

Jemma's Shoes  
www. modcloth. com shop/ shoes-flats /world-of-wonderment-flat-in-black

Skye's dress  
www .modcloth. com shop /dresses /receiving-line-dress-in-red

Skye's shoes  
shop .nordstrom. com S / david- tutera- joy- sandal- online- only- color /3472930?origin= category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor =BLACK+SATIN&resultback =760&cm _sp=personalizedsort -_- browseresults -_- 1_2_C

So, what do you guys think Ward's present to Skye should be? Any idea of what Fitz should give to Simmons? How about the girls to the boys?


	5. Candle

SkyeWard gets their revenge! (Or at least the beginning of their revenge.)

* * *

Day 5: Candle

Jemma went around lighting all the candles that her and Fitz had placed around the living area on the plane, taking advantage of being landed. Ever since Skye and Ward had attempted to break into the lab, they hadn't tried anything and she was hoping they were finally getting into the mood for Christmas.

"There. I just wish Skye and Agent Ward would come out and join us."

"It's not your fault they're a bunch of Scrooges, Jemma." He kissed her cheek, trying to snap her out of her misery.

"I know. It's just so sad! How can they hate Christmas?"

Fitz looked sadly at her as she flitted around the room with a lighter. The air smelt funny after she had lit a few of those candles. "What scent are those, Jem?"

"Cinnamon. They don't smell cinnamon though, do they?" He went to blow one out and it relit.

"I think someone replaced the candles." He blew it again. "My head… it feels all woozy."

Jemma was gripping the counter, trying to stay upright. "Fitz, I think they're pranking us back…"

Her eyes dropped as her knees buckled and she slid to the floor beside the cabinet. Fitz had fallen flat on his face onto the couch. May, Ward, and Skye entered the room with gas masks on.

"Cool, relighting knock out gas candles," the hacker spoke with a trace of sarcasm in her voice, "What'd this accomplish?"

"This is only the beginning," Ward told his girlfriend.

"Great, we made them pass out. So what now?"

May gave her a look through her mask. It was going to be an interesting holiday season.

* * *

So does anyone have any ideas for Ward's present for Skye?


	6. Santa Baby

Day 6: Santa Baby

Fitz wakes up in the mall as a mall Santa

There was something itchy underneath his nose when he woke up. He was sitting upright, but hadn't he passed out flat? And since when where his clothes so heavy?

"Jemma?" he moaned out, calling for his partner.

She didn't answer and his eyes snapped open to the unfamiliar scene before him. It kind of looked like Christmas had thrown up. He was in a room that looked sort of like a giant gingerbread house. Who made a gingerbread house this big?

"Alright, Skye, Ward! This isn't funny!"

Again, there was no answer.

He looked down at his clothes, a bright red suit with white trim. "Oh, bloody hell."

The door opened and an elf popped their head in. "Are you ready for your first child, Santa?"

The voice was feminine and seemed to be enjoying his discomfort way too much.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope." She beamed at him and opened the door completely, allowing a little blond girl in.

She stared at him and he stared at her. A camera flash went off. "What would you like for Christmas, little girl?" he finally asked.

"I'd like a pony!"

Fitz blinked. "A pony? You sure you wouldn't like a chemistry set?"

The little girl wrinkled her nose. "Ew no! That's for big kids!"

"It is not!"

"Yo, Santa!" the elf said, poking her head in again, "No fighting with the kids."

The girl stalked off, looking angry. A boy, probably about twelve, came in next. He looked like he was being forced to be there. "Don't expect me to sit on your lap."

"Thank God," Fitz muttered.

"I want a race car for Christmas," the boy told him.

"You sure you don't want a pony?"

"What do you think I am? A cowboy? Maybe I should have asked for Thor's hammer so I could smash you're brains in!"

"No thank you."

The boy stomped on Fitz's foot. "You suck, Santa!"

The boy stormed off. A tall, young woman stepped inside and sat down on his lap, looking seductively at him through mascara-covered eyelashes.

"And what would you like for Christmas?"

Her hands ran up his chest. "I'd like you, Santa baby." She leaned up to try to kiss him, "I bet you're all sorts of hot underneath this suit." She tried to pull the beard down and he pushed back into the throne uncomfortably.

"I'm going to kill them! I'm really going to kill them." He shoved the girl off of him, "Stand back, crazy lady! I have a girlfriend!"

"I'm sure Mrs. Claus won't mind much, baby," the girl whispered, not getting the hint.

"I'm not interested in you! I just want to get back to my nice, safe lab where I can come up with some sort of revenge on those two." The girl had approached him again, unbuttoning his jacket during his rant. "Hey! Gedoff!"

She pouted, her lower lip sticking all the way out as she turned around, looking quite snubbed and strutted out of the gingerbread house. Once outside, she turned to the elf and smiled. "We're even." She grabbed her hat from the elf and walked off.

"Thanks Darcy."

Ward walked up to the elf, Skye. "Friend of yours?"

"Yup. And I recorded the whole thing!"

He snorted. "Fitz sounds like he might actually kill us."

"Eh, he'll get over it."


	7. Elf

Day 7: Elf

Jemma woke up in a chair, which would have been fine, but how had she gotten there? She'd passed out on the counter, not in a chair.

"Hello? Leo? Anyone?"

No one answered. The room was empty, other than her and the chair, and the walls were made out of mirrors. It was like a giant fun house. She stood up slowly, still feeling a dizziness in her head and tried to find a door, but found none.

"Alright Skye, this isn't funny! No more of your bad girl shenanigans."

"Who's Skye?" a voice asked and she jumped. In theory, she should have seen the strange man coming, but didn't. How'd he get in? Who was he? And why didn't he look like an elf.

"Who are you?"

He grinned wide, showing off his white teeth. He was tall for an elf, with pointy ears and gray eyes.

"Noel."

"Alabaster!"

"And I'm Rudy!" a little guy said, popping out from behind Noel.

They all smiled really wide at her, getting ready to sing and dance. "Oh no," she muttered when she realized.

"We…." the three sang, holding out the word for a really long time like the sugar hyped runts that they were, "_… wish you a Merry Christmas; _  
_We wish you a Merry Christmas; _  
_We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. _  
_Good tidings we bring to you and your kin; _  
_Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year._

_Oh, bring us a figgy pudding; _  
_Oh, bring us a figgy pudding; _  
_Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer_  
_We won't go until we get some; _  
_We won't go until we get some; _  
_We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here_

_We wish you a Merry Christmas; _  
_We wish you a Merry Christmas; _  
_We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."_

They seemed to be on automatic repeat of the song, singing it over and over until if she heard the words 'Good tidings' and 'Merry Christmas' in the same sentence again, it would not be the Night-Night Pistol she'd be using on Ward and Skye. The little one was dancing crazily, like that time she'd accidentally hit Fitz with that prototype for the Night-Night Gun that actually seemed to make you run around like an insane person who forgot to take their meds.

At what she estimated to be hours, she couldn't take it anymore. Jemma was about ready to shove some damn figgy pudding down their throats. She ran to the wall, screaming like a madwoman.

"Help!" She banged on the glass with her fists, "Somebody help me!" There was no answer. She called to the one person who was always their for her, no matter what, "FITZ!"

The wall burst open and Fitz stood there. "I escaped from their madness!" he exclaimed. "Skye and Ward! They're off their rockers! They must be stopped!"

"I agree! Not let's get out of here before they sing about figgy pudding again!"


	8. Fruit Cake

SwifteForeverAndAlways asked "Darcy? Darcy Lewis or a different Darcy?"  
The girl in Santa Baby was Darcy Lewis. She seemed like the kind of person Skye would know.

* * *

8. Fruit Cake- 12/20

It took all day, but they were finally free of evil elves and bratty children and women who flirt with Santa. When they got back to the Bus, they dumped a bag of inching powder into Skye and Ward's beds, just because they were never sure which bed the two would be occupying. It was clear to say that FitzSimmons were not amused by Skye and Ward's pranks.

"I've got it! Fruit cake!"

Fitz stared at his lab partner from across the table.

"Jemma, nobody likes fruit cake."

She frowned at that. "I like fruit cake."

Fitz had the decency to look sheepish at that.

Jemma continued. "And I have my mum's recipe. I'm not that good at baking though. And then we could put something in Ward and Skye's pieces."

Fitz made a face in agreement. "We should get someone else." He thought for a moment. "Maybe Agent May would help? She cooks."

"Maybe. And Skye and Ward would accept it from her."

They grinned at their plan.

* * *

May stood there staring at them, arms crossed the entire time as they pitched their idea about her baking a fruit cake. They blinked up at her and smiled.

"You want me to bake a fruit cake?" she asked incredulously after a ridiculous amount of staring.

"Yes?" Simmons asked timidly.

"Fine." She walked back into the cockpit and closed the door behind her.

They two scientists blinked.

"Well, that went well," Jemma said brightly.

* * *

May stood there cooking the fruit cake for FitzSimmons. Why they wanted a fruit cake was a good question, but she figured it probably had something to do with their prank war. She took a sip of the rum, poured some into the batter, then poured some more. Who ever said cooking was an exact science? She left the bottle open for her to drink the rest after.

Hours passed and Ward and Skye stared suspiciously at the cake that FitzSimmons had helped slice up. Skye might have even poked it, like she was afraid it might explode. She saw them pour laxatives into the slices for Ward and Skye. Little did the scientists know, but she had switched their plates with the two brunets before they could pass the cake out. Oops.

Needless to say, the scientists blamed each other for the mix up, while alternative their time spent in the bathroom. May smirked on the stick later that night. Amateurs.

* * *

R&R


	9. Egg Nog

Day 9: Egg Nog

The four sat around the table, staring at each other.

"We'd like to negotiate the terms of a peace treaty," Fitz said suddenly, "We don't want to continue this prank war."

Ward glanced at Skye and she shrugged. "He's not lying so far. Continue."

"You don't knock us out and torture us with brats and elves and stop putting laxatives in our food and we will stop shoving Christmas down your throats."

Skye blinked, but it was Grant who spoke. "We didn't put laxatives in your food."

Jemma blushed and the hacker figured it out. "You guys were trying to spike our cake and then you went and accidentally switched the plates." Skye laughed loudly. "And now you want a truce because you guys couldn't pull off a simple prank like that!"

They all looked at her and her smile faded awkwardly.

"So… about that peace treaty…"

* * *

May and Coulson sat in Coulson's office, listening in on the conversation. "Well, this isn't any good."

* * *

They clanged their mugs together. "To their being peace on the Bus!" Jemma toasted and they all took a sip of the egg nog.

"I'll drink to that," Fitz said, sipping the nog. Skye and Ward took a drink. There was a sort of quiet over the group for a while until:

"I asked Dad for help with pranking you guys," Skye blurted out suddenly before her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with both hands.

"Fitz and I changed out your body lotion with acne remover this morning." Jemma looked panicked.

"I got Skye a-" Ward bit his tongue. "I think this was drugged. Damn this stuff works fast."

"Truth serum."

Ward groaned and Skye looked at him pointedly. "I thought you didn't believe truth serum."

"I don't. I just- you can't deny the effects of truth drugs."

She smirked. "So what did you buy me for Christmas again?" He opened his mouth and went to speak but then he changed his mind and she pouted. "I'll tell you what I got you." She leaned in close and whispered something in his ear too low for Fitz or Simmons to hear. Ward's eyes widened then his face went red and then his lips turned into a smile.

"Really?"

She grinned. "I cannot tell a lie."

He kissed her. "I love you."

Simmons eyed them, then looked at Fitz. "Why don't you ever kiss me like that?"

The Scot turned red from his ears to the base of his neck. "I-uh-well… you see-"

Jemma shut his mouth with a kiss.

* * *

"That's better," Coulson said to May as she slipped back into his office. "How'd you drug it without them noticing?"

"Please, Skye and Ward were making out on the countertop. There could have been World War Four and they wouldn't have noticed."

Coulson made a face. "Egg nog?" May offered, "Not the drugged version."

He took the proffered mug. "Cheers."

* * *

Peace egg nog. And Coulson and May are totally awesome and spiked it everyone else's with truth serum)

WWIII, of course, was classified by SHIELD, so while everyone referred to if there was a WWIII, there had already been one.

Reviews are hugs and cookies and hot chocolate! Share the love!


	10. Tree

A short bit of SkyeWard fluff.

* * *

Day 10: Tree

Skye held out the tiny tree to Grant. The little tree was only about half a foot tall, decorated in tiny laptops and what looked like miniature pistols. It seemed that the brunette had finally gotten into the Christmas spirit with two days to go before the holiday.

"What's this?"

"It's our Christmas tree. And look, it's got little computers and guns. And a hulu angel! I figured it represented us better than FitzSimmons' massive tree in the living room does. And it can go in our bunk on the window sill next to Lolani."

She looked so hopeful and excited at the prospect of them having a Christmas tree just for them. He hated to crush it.

"Okay. We'll have to tape it down though."

She beamed up at him and kissed him. "Thank you!"

Ward looked at her in confusion. "What are you thanking me for?"

"I wasn't sure you'd like it, considering neither of us are actually Christmasy people…" Skye looked down, her smile gone. He kissed the top of her head.

"If you want to have a real Christmas, then we'll have a real Christmas. Maybe tomorrow we can even bake cookies." At her cocked head, he added, "I need to get eggs to make cookies. FitzSimmons ate them all for breakfast."

She leaned up on tip town and kissed him again. "Thank you."

"I love you, Skye."

"I love you too." She smiled then disappeared into their bunk.

* * *

R&R


	11. Cookies

Salkri Kachemench said "Can't wait to hear about them baking together - maybe it leads to a flour fight or something, who knows?!"

* * *

Day 11: Cookies  
Skye woke up happy, wrapped in warm arms with her back against a warm, hard body. Every inch of her was limp and relaxed and she'd never felt so loved. Her whole life, she had looked forward to feeling that way. At first, she thought it might come from a family who loved her, but as she got older she realized it might come from a man. The body behind her moved and kissed the base of her neck.

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I'm happy." She twisted to face Grant, "I love you."

He smiled at her. "I love you too." He had become much more vocal about his emotions since Skye had joined them. He leaned in and kissed her deeply. Her hands came up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Morning."

"Good morning to you too," she blinked, opening her eyes, "What was that for?"

"Because I'm lucky." She beamed at him before she suddenly climbed from the bed and grabbed his shirt from the pile of clothes on the floor. "Where are you going?"

"I believed someone promised to bake cookies... and I kinda promised FitzSimmons that they could help. So up and at'um!"

She grinned and left the bunk. Thinking of one last present for his girlfriend, he stood up from bed and began to work on it while she was taking her shower.

* * *

"So, cookies… how do we-?"

"Well first you get two eggs and you've got to beat them." Simmons grinned and took two eggs, putting them in a bowl on top of the stove, and bashed them violently, shell and all. The end result was egg on her and everywhere, except in the bowl. Ward sighed exasperated. "Just the inside, not the shell. Dump those. Fitz, flour."

Fitz picked up the huge bag, but after fumbling around with it for a while, he tripped and ripped the bag open, causing most of the bag to land on Ward and his all black attire. Skye giggled mercilessly.

"I think there's another bag," the scientist said weakly.

Grant turned to his girlfriend. "You think this is funny?" She grinned, revealing the can of whip cream from behind her back.

"No, but I think this is." With that, she squirted some on his nose, then tilted her head back and sprayed some in her mouth. Unamused, Ward wiped his nose with a hand and swiped it across Skye's cheek. She shrieked. "Ew! Hey! Gross!"

"I beat the eggs," Simmons declared, "What next?"

"I have flour," Fitz yelled, coming back into the kitchen.

"We need molasses and sugar and shortening."

"What?" Fitz cried, "I don't want to get shorter!" Ward pinched the bridge of his nose.

Jemma stared at him, "How about frosting?"

"Sure, get frosting. And milk. And baking soda."

Fitz stuck his head in the cabinet. "I see baking powder. That's the same thing, right?"

"Have you really never been in a kitchen before?" Ward asked him incredulously.

Fitz shrugged. "In my house, we always let the women do the baking. You see, it's generally considered safer to do that unless we want to spend the weekend with food poisoning."

Grant looked to the ceiling and for a second, Skye thought he might be praying. "Just find the ingredients. The right ingredients," he added as Fitz went to pull the baking powder off the shelf.

* * *

Two hours later, Coulson walked into the kitchen. There was flour all over the counter, eggs on the stove, and a goopy substance on the ceiling. There were various colors of frosting decorating the entire kitchen and a distinct burning smell that made him check the in the oven for anything that might be on fire, only to find what looked like a war zone inside the oven. Something, possibly milk, was dripping out of the refrigerator and onto the floor. The four younger agents were gathered around the table, eating from a big pile of cookies and laughing. They looked like they'd been a part of the Great Cookie War of 2013.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're all cleaning the kitchen up." He grabbed a cookie off the top and walked out as all their faces dropped. He took a bit, pausing mid-step as he looked back at them, "These are delicious!"

* * *

The mess described is how our apartment used to look like before we had to ban half our roommates from the kitchen and cooking anything that's more than cereal and milk. It's kind of needless to say that we did not get our security deposit back on that apartment. :(

Reviews are presents under the tree, warm cookies and hot chocolate.


	12. Christmas Eve

Day 12: Christmas Eve

The team surrounded FitzSimmons' large Christmas tree, which had presents under the tree. Each member was taking turns picking out one present to open that night. Skye and Ward carried a tray of six mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies into the room, setting it on the table and taking their seats.

Simmons knelt in front of the tree, unwrapping a brightly wrapped present. "My present is from Fitz," she read on the tag before she untied the bow and lifted out a chemistry set. "Oh! Fitz! It's wonderful!" She breamed at the Scot, who turned red. She popped up on the couch beside him, pecking his cheek. "Thank you."

Skye turned to her boyfriend and mouthed, "Chemistry set?"

Ward shrugged. May picked up a gift and opened it. "Ear plugs. Thanks Phil." She took them and disappeared back to the cockpit. Everyone looked towards Coulson and he shrugged.

"She said that she needed some." Simmons passed him a gift. He opened it up slowly, as if afraid it might jump up and bit him. "This looks like stuff out of my desk."

Skye grinned. "It is stuff out of your desk, from where I had to raid it to figure out why you were lying to me. Merry Christmas, Dad."

He looked down at the box of papers. "Merry… Christmas," he replied slowly.

"My turn! My turn!" Fitz jumped to the floor, opening up a box. "It's a new laser."

"And it's compatible with the holographic table. You can even move stuff with it, like a stylus," Simmons chirped. Fitz's eyes went wide.

"This is the best Christmas present ever!"

Skye leaned her head into Ward's neck a whispered, "Attack of the nerds." He chuckled.

FitzSimmons handed him a box and Ward lifted the lid. "We fixed the Night Night Pistol. Merry Christmas."

"Thanks." He lifted it and pretended like he was going to shoot.

"Is it right now?"

"Yes." He didn't elaborate.

"Where's my present?" Skye pouted. He turned to her.

"In our bunk."

With that, Ward stood up and walked out of the living room. It took her a second, but Skye stood up and followed him out.

"No sex you two!" she could hear Coulson yell after them.

"Living on a plane with your dad, major mood killer," Skye said as she leaned in the doorway, admiring her boyfriend's muscular arms and back. Her eyes were drawn to the window sill, where the itsy bitsy tree she had made sat, with a small present under it. "Is that-?" He turned and smiled at her.

Her face lit up and she crawled across the bed to the window to retrieve the box and looked at it's careful wrapping. She could imagine Grant sitting there with wrapping paper, listening out for her while he worked carefully, packing it like he would diffuse a bomb or with the same care that he used when sitting in his sniper's perch, waiting for his target.

"Are you going to open it or just stare at the wrapping, because next year I could just get you an empty box and put some paper on it." Skye looked up at him for a minute, then looked back to the gift.

"Sorry, it's just… you know, I never exactly gotten presents that looked like this." Ward raised his eyebrow and sat next to her. She pulled the ribbon, afraid she might damage it, then pushed her finger under where the tape held the paper together. Grant watched, amused. Her eyes went wide and she gasped as she took in the pretty distinctive blue box inside the packaging. She opened the box, revealing a glistening platinum key with diamonds over the entire thing. The top looked like a stain glass window's frame. It was probably the most beautiful and most expensive thing she'd ever touched.

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful," she whispered, still in shock. No one had ever given her something like this. "It's too much though."

He lifted the key from the Tiffany box and clasped the chain behind her neck. "It was my grandmother's." She studied the pendent gently, as if afraid she'd break it. She knew he was talking about his beloved grandmother Gramsy and couldn't believe he'd given her such an heirloom. "I love you, Skye."

Skye looked to Grant, eyes sparkling with unshed tears and emotions as she leaned up to kiss him. "Thank you. It's really- I… thank you."

"I guess this is the part where I'm supposed to say you have the key to my heart," he teased and just like that, the moment was broken.

Skye snorted. "You say that and I'll have to sent you in to get your head examined. Robots aren't supposed to be saps."

Grant rolled his eyes. "The other half of your gift is in the closet."

Again, her eyes opened so wide he thought they might fall out of her head. "Other half?" She scrambled out of the bed and opened the door to a half empty closet. "You're giving me your clothes?"

"I made room for yours," he corrected, following her across the short distance to wrap his arms around her. Still, he suddenly sounded nervous. "I thought that since you practically live here anyways, that maybe you might want to move in?"

It was phrased as a statement, but his voice ended on a questioning note. She turned, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. "It's perfect," she whispered in his neck where she buried her face. "Thank you." Her voice dropped even lower, "I love you so much. I've never been this happy before. It feels like I'm dreaming."

He kissed her passionately, glad she liked his presents and glad she felt the same way he did. He tried to convey everything he had trouble saying into the kiss. She pulled back suddenly and he looked confused until she spoke, "Now let me show you your present."

* * *

Yeah, so I like mushy cheesy over-romantic stories, so sue me. The last day of the 12 Days of SHIELD. I may or may not make a New Years one-shot, so look for that. If not, I'll just resume writing The Locket.

There are spaces in the link to Skye's necklace to hopefully make sure it works. I know this one isn't vintage, but let's all just imagine it is. I thought it was pretty and in my mind Ward comes from old money who's probably really embarrassed of him, all except Gramsy.

www . tiffany Shopping Item .aspx ? from Grid = 1 & sku = GRP02546& mcat = 148206& cid =573050& search _params =p+ 1-n +10000-c +573050-s +1-r +-t +-ni +1-x +-lr +-hr+-ri+-mi+ -pp+0 +6&search= 0&origin= browse&searchkeyword= &selectedsku=21803642

**Salkri Kachemench**, thank you for your great ideas. "Ward could get skye a key necklace or something and he could have a lock necklace, and he could say that their homes were each other now - cos skye was an orphan etc, so she has the key to his heart etc :P what do you think? Too cheesy? It could be really cute/funny though - Skye could make some sarcy comment about Robot's being overly emotional before kissing him or something, and Fitzsimmons could get them back!"

Also, I saw this lovely article and I just thought of Skye. This would be a perfect prompt for a story, if anyone wants to write it. Extra points if you somehow make it a Skyeward story.

gma . yahoo blogs abc-blogs / foster-child-davion -only-spend- christmas- prospective- family- 034828584- -abc-news-topstories .html

Thank you to everyone for all of your encouragement and comments and for reading the story. Hearing from the readers, the fans in fanfiction, make writing it so much more satisfying. I'm glad so many of you enjoyed it.

So I'll end my very long note on a very famous poem by Henry Livingston Jr. and I echo the sentiment to you all.

_"But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight-_

_Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."_


End file.
